With the approach of Black History month, rising Islamophobia, and the portrayal of Islam as a religion that is foreign to America, it is important for us to look back at the history of Muslims in this country. The identity of slaves who came to America is rarely mentioned in the media, movies, or history books. Most of the time African slaves are simply portrayed as non-Christians and their religion is rarely identified. The beginning of Islam in America and its association with African slaves is yet to receive the attention that it deserves. When we read about slaves in America, very little attention is given to who these slaves really were, what they believed, their morals and values. This is due to the fact that most who wrote about them were ignorant about such things themselves. Many historical works write about slavery from the master’s point of view. Such negligence in determining the culture and beliefs of slaves is very unfortunate given the fact that one of America’s most illustrious sons, Frederick Douglass, may have himself been a descendant of Muslims. [1]
We have limited material on the subject because the colonial and antebellum observers, who were ignorant of the Islamic faith, did not accurately record the religious and cultural expressions of the African slaves. However cumulative evidence does show that such observers were able to distinguish Muslim slaves from other slaves, but they had no interest to record detailed information about them.
Muslim slaves in America were quite significant in number, probably reaching into the thousands. Historian Michael Gomez points out that between 400,000 and 523,000 Africans came to America during the slave trade, at least 200,000 came from areas influenced by Islam, thus Muslims may have come to America in the thousands, if not tens of thousands. [2]
Many of the advertisements for runaway slaves had Muslim names on them even though they were rarely identified as such because their masters associated them with supply zones; however they were identified by name, place, or origin. Both of these sources tell us that these slaves were Muslim. Additionally, Muslim slaves made a genuine effort to practice and maintain their religious beliefs; they also educated fellow non-Muslim slaves about Islam, many of whom converted [3]
In the New World, African Muslim slaves were noted for their resistance to the institution of slavery. In Brazil, hundreds of African Muslim slaves planned and executed a major uprising in Bahia in 1835, they fought soldiers and civilians in the streets of Salvador. Additionally, some Muslim slaves played a role in the revolt on the Spanish slave ship Amistad in the Caribbean in 1839. [4]
Muslim slaves were also known for their strong adherence to Islam and even at times converting others to Islam. The slave Mohammad Sisei, was manumitted by his master because of his stubborn adherence to Islam and returned to Africa in 1811 [5]. Ex-slave Charles Ball, one of the first African Americans to publish an autobiography was in awe by the religious discipline and resistance to Christianity of a 19th century Muslim slave. He wrote:
At the time I first went to Carolina, there were a great many African slaves in the country. . . .I became intimately acquainted with some of these men. . . .I knew several, tho must have been, from what I have since learned, Mohamedans; though at that time, I had never heard of the religion of Mohammed. There was one man on this plantation, who prayed five times every day always turning his face to the East, when in the performance of his devotions. [6]
It is without a doubt that Muslim slaves and Islam have been part of this country since its creation. This is a fact that is deliberately or unintentionally overlooked and ignored by many. Islam and Muslims are constantly made to appear “new” or foreign to America. In actuality, Muslims were part of the many slaves brought to this country by force. Muslim blood, sweat, and tears have fell on the land of the Americas much earlier than the arrival of immigrants from other European countries. These slaves were separated from their families, homes, and childhood memories. They were robbed of their physical freedom, but their souls continued to be free. Although their bodies were enslaved by white masters, their souls always remained slaves to God.
In this month, we remember these souls who have suffered while laying down the foundations of the country that continues to demonize and dehumanize African Americans, Muslims, and other minorities. In this month, we celebrate their resilience, religious dedication, and resistance to injustice. Although many of these slaves are forgotten as part of American history, God will always remember them as He will others who have been oppressed for no reason other than being what God made them: And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked. For what crime was she killed? (Q. 81: 8-9).
Africa
Islam in Africa: Introduction
Islam’s presence in African history
Islam’s presence in African history dates back to the first phase of the Prophet Muhammad’s mission, when in 615 A.D. he instructed a group of Muslims to seek refuge in Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia).
While this was a short-lived encounter, Muslims eventually left a lasting influence in North Africa which has since spread to western, eastern, and central Africa. In southern Africa, Muslims are tiny but vibrant minorities. Over the centuries, Muslims have made significant contributions to Africa as we know it.
Africa enjoyed unparalleled scholarship and intellectual revival under Muslim rule. Cities such as Cairo, Timbuktu, and Kairouan were academic and cultural hubs which attracted scholars and travelers alike. Today, Cairo houses the world’s second-oldest university, Al-Azhar, and the latter two are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Each of these cities is profiled in this section, complete with historical and intellectual overviews.
Renowned Muslims such as Saladin, Ibn Battuta, and Ibn Khaldun were all linked to Africa by residence or birth and contributed greatly to the traditions of heroism, traveling, and social sciences, respectively. A brief biography of each personality is presented in this section, with a focus on their individual achievements.
Islam has had a lasting impact on Africa, affecting its languages, architecture, and culture. Furthermore, contrary to the conventional belief that a predominantly oral culture has always existed in Africa, a rich literate culture thrived among Africans historically – going back as far as a millennium.
Recently discovered Arabic manuscripts, which had been passed on through descendants for centuries, have proven this beyond a shadow of doubt. In fact, John Hunwick and R.S. O’Fahey are currently collecting them in a comprehensive six-volume series called Arabic Literature of Africa; four of the six volumes have already been published. An article linked below gives details regarding this monumental project.
Lastly, there is emerging mainstream acknowledgement that Islam first came to America through African slaves. Many of these slaves were literate and continued to secretly practice their religion, as in the prominent example of Omar ibn Said. Sylviane Diouf explores their lives in Servants of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved in the Americas, an excerpt from which is included in this section.
In conclusion, Islam had an enduring influence both in Africa and in the lives of the African diaspora, as clearly exhibited through the various articles in this section.
Latin America
When the Americas were discovered by the Spaniards in the fifteenth century, they brought slaves from the north and west of Africa who introduced Islam in Latin America, staying in countries like Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and some Caribbean islands. In many cases, these Muslim slaves were forced to leave their religious beliefs or be executed instead. Thus, with the passing of time, Islam started fading away in Latin American countries.
At the end of the sixteenth century, after the liberation of slaves and the return of many of them to these lands, together with immigration from India and Pakistan, new concentrations of Muslims appeared. According to some documents, between the years 1850 and 1860 massive immigration of Arab Muslims to American lands took place. The majority came from Syria and Lebanon, and stayed in countries like Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia. Some of these also stayed in Paraguay, together with immigrants from Palestine, Bangladesh and Pakistan. This immigration was very intense, and started decreasing in the 1950’s in these countries and in the 1970’s in Colombia, with future currents taking residence in Brazil and Venezuela.
These communities, just like in the U.S.A., integrated themselves to national activities, standing out for their hard work, respect and love for the country that sheltered them. Many of them grouped to create Islamic societies, centers, mosques, etc. in order to worship freely. Nowadays, in all Latin American countries, there are Muslim concentrations, immigrants and natives, who adopted Islam as their new faith. According to statistics, the number of Muslims in Latin America is over four million, with 700,000 in Argentina and more than 1.5 million in Brazil. Immigrants represent 50% of Muslims in the Islamic communities in Latin America, the rest being new Muslims of different nationalities, such as Mexicans, Spanish, Italians, Colombians, Argentinians, etc.
Just as in any other country where Muslims are a minority, Latin American Muslims also face some difficulties. These include lack of knowledge of the Islamic culture and religion, lack of formal teaching of the Arab language, lack of economic resources, and lack of Islamic material in Spanish. Many Muslims have assimilated so much into the cultures of their countries that they are not aware of basic Muslim rites like marriage, funeral, burial, etc. However, many groups maintained their identity and did everything possible to return to their religious origins. These groups worked hard in order to change that situation.
Today, many members of the Latin Muslim community participate in Islamic congresses around the world, young Latin Muslims study at universities in Arab countries, and many others maintain their Islamic religion and traditions and wish to increase their knowledge of it. The number of people embracing Islam is also growing day by day. In view of this situation, Muslim representatives of 19 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in the year 1997 in Buenos Aires, and achieved the formation of the “Islamic Association for Latin America.”
As a result, many tasks have been accomplished, such as the Spanish publication of many Islamic books and websites, mass distribution of Spanish material on Islam, recognition by government authorities (for example, in Argentina) of holy days for the Islamic community, including the Islamic new year, and Muslim representation by members of our community in their individual countries as governors, senators, representatives and other positions of importance.
At the same time, there is much that still needs to be attained. Muslims must cooperate in the building of mosques in the places where Islamic communities lack them; they must cooperate in the creation of a fund for humanitarian help to the old, the poor and the sick; they must unify the attitude of all Muslims in subjects like marriage, funerals, burials, etc., and must encourage the mosques to hold various activities, so that they can perform their true roles and not only that of a place to pray and commemorate events.
Finally, Muslims in Latin America must continue to reach out to their neighbors to show them the beauty of Islam and remain committed to being productive citizens in their respective countries.
Adapted from a speech delivered by Muhammad Yusuf Hallar at a recent Islamic Organization for Latin America conference.
Muhammad Yusuf Hallar is the Secretary General of the Islamic Organization for Latin America, Director of the Office of Islamic Culture- Argentina, member of the Constituent Islamic Council of the Muslim World League (Makkah), and a member of Expert Committee on Minority Rights- Islamic Conference (OIC). In 2009, he was named one of 500 Most Influential Muslims of the World by a report published by The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.
